Improvement in ditching-machines



J. Li. 'GUSTER. Ditching-Machine.

No. 217,073. Patented July 1, I879.

WITNESSES: Q J Zm v INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

MPETERS, PHOTO-LIYHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D c through.

row is movedup a chute its uppersurface, if

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. cUsTER, 0F;

BONAPARTE, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT m Dl TCHlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.2l7,073, dated July 1,1879; application filed March 7, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LEATHERMAN OUSTER, of Bonaparte, in the countyof Van Buren and State of Iowa, have invented a new and ImprovedDitching-Machine, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Figure lis a plan of the machine. Fig. 2

a sectional elevation on line g y. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of aplowshare and cutter. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 2 2, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to provide a machine for excavatingditches to a true water-line and finishing them for the laying ofdrain-tile.

The invention consists, first, of the stout timber frame A, whose frontend rests on trucks B B, while the rear end is supported on the standard0, whose lower end is provided with a truck or wheel, D. Rigidly fixedbetween the sides of the frame are three chutes, E E E, incliningdownward and forward at an angle of thirty degrees, or thereabout. Thesechutes are of different lengths, the forward one being the shortest, andthe rear one the longest, so that in excavating a ditch they come incontact with the earth on different planes.

The lower end of each chute is formed of a plowshare, F, so placed as toleave an open space between it and the termination of the mold-boardorfloor G of the chute, so that the endless series of rollers and apronmay pass Fixed vertically on the middle of the face of each plowshare isa triangular cutter, H, to divide the furrow into two parts as it startsup the chute. The side cutters, I I, of the plows serve'to cut the sidesof the ditch evenly and to support the chutes in position. As a furit bethickenough, is forced in contact with a rolling cutter, It, to completeits separation into two parts. Reaching the upper end of the mold-board,the furrow of earth comes in contact with the wedge-shaped device L,which causes it to separate into two parts, that then fall off, one onone side of the ditch, and one to suit different sizes oftiles or pipes.

on the other side.

On and around the mold-boards, and reachin g entirely across them, aresets of rollers M M, linked closely together, as shown in the forwardchute in the drawings, and covering them is an endless belt, as shown inthe chute of the finisher O, that forms part of this in vention. 1s asectional elevation on line 00 m. Fig. 3 is The finisher is attached, byrods (1, a..t-o. the

1 rear plow, and follows behind it in the bottom of the ditch. It is ineffect a long plane, P, carrying an elevator and chute like thosealready described, and having securely attached longitudinally along thecentral line of its under face a half-round strip of wood, I), carryingon its front end ashoe, c, shaped like a scoop, and projecting slightlybeyond the lower part of the chute. The object of this finisher is togroove and level the bottom of the ditch, so that tiles may be laidtherein.

The strip and shoe must have a cross sec- }tion of the diameter of thetiles or pipes to be laid, and they may be detached and other sizessubstituted for them, as occasion may demand, As the. earth cut by thisshoe 0 will ordinarily be loose and crumbling, the elevator, consistingof chute, rollers, and endless apron, as shown,

is required to convey it away.

Motion is given to the rollers and apron by the belt Q, that passes overpulley R on the axle of the truck and pulley S at the head of thefinisher-chute. This belt, cord, or chain, as it stretches from B to S,is supported and guided by pulleys or travelers T T, that are secured tothe upright U..

When in operation the machine is drawn forward by means of a windlassand cable,

and as the wheels B B run on the surface of the ground and revolvemotion is transmitted by the belt Q to the pulley S.

When the line of the ditch is laid out and the slope of its water-linedetermined, stakes are set up along the side of the proposed ditch, andparallel with it from one end to the other. They may or should be setabout one hundred feet, or the length .of the cable that draws themachine, apart, and be so set that the top of each one of them will beas high above the proposed bottom of the ditch at that point as thepivot f, onwhich'the indicator V rests, is above the under side of thelowest or rear plow of the machine. These stakes must be set about fourfeet, (more or less,) or about the length of the indicator-arm, from theproposed side of the ditch.

In the drawings, E represents the groundline, and G the bottom, of theditch. g 9 represent the stakes above referred to.

It is evident, then, that when the stakes are set as above described,the line of their tops must be exactly parallel with the proposed bottomof the ditch, and will consequently show the degree of fall of the'same.

When the machine is in motion the long and slightly-heavier arm of theindicator rides on the wire H, that is stretched perfectly straight fromthe top of one to the top of another stake. When the machine is cuttingthe proper depth the opposite arm of the indicator will remain parallelwith the horizontal arm of the weighted square W, that swings on thesame pivot as does the indicator; but if the machine is cutting toodeep, the lighter arm of the indicator will dip below that of thesquare, or point above if the machine is working too shallow. Thus theindicator tells the operator how much too deep or too shallow themachine is cutting.

For adjusting the depth of the cut the stout vertical stanchion K ismortised through the cross-timber at the forward end of the machine, andpivoted on the center of the axle of the trucks B B, and on the rearface of this stanchion is a rack, O, in which the pinion L engages. Thepinion is keyed on a shaft, it, that revolves in hearings on the sidesof the frame A, and may be operated by a train of backgear, and securedby a pawl and ratchet, as is customary.

The axle of the trucks has a. strong iron plate, M". bolted with two ormore bolts to its under side, and from this plate two iron rods orchains,-0 o, extend to staples or hooks P" P that are secured to thesides of the lrame A.

When it is desirable to lower or raise the axle and trucks to suit thedepth of the ditch to be cut, the rods or chains are detached from thestaples or hooks, when they can be raised or lowered by the action ofthe stanchion K and pinion L, after which the rods or chains are againsecured to the staples or hooks on the sides of the frame. To compensatefor the shortening or lengthening of the said rods or chains, so as toallow the truck to be raised or lowered, several staples or hooksmay beattached to each side of the frame, or extra rods of the required lengthmay be used. At the rear of the machine the standard 0 is alsoadjustable, or the rear of the machine is adjusta- R, to which the cablefor drawing the machine is to be secured.

For convenience in removing the machine from one place to another, I.prefer to secure the plate M to the axle of the truck by three bolts, sothat by removing the two outside ones the axle is left free to move uponthe center bolt. A tongue is then attached to the axle-tree, and theplows elevated out of the ground by means of the stanchion K andstandard 0, and the machine is then ready to be drawn by a team ofhorses on its own wheels.

In starting a ditch, the forward end of the machine must be lowered tothe axle of the trucks. Each plow will then rest upon the ground. Then,as the machine is moved along, the plows will cut down an incline, andwhen the indicator shows that they are deep enough, the rear standard,0, must be so operated as to arrest their further progress downward.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In the construction of a ditching-ma chine, theplane P, strip 1), and shoe 0, substantially as herein shown, and forthe purpose described. q 2. In the construction of a ditching-machine,the combination of the standard or upright U, indicator V, and weightedsquare W with stakes g g and wire H, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

3. In the construction of a ditching-machine, the combination of chutesE E, plows F F, triangular cutters H H, mold-boards G G, side cutters, II, revolving circular cutters K K, and wedge-shaped pieces L L with thelinked-rollers M M, endless apron N, plane P, strip b, and shoe G,substantially as herein shown and described.

JOHN LEATHEBMAN (DUSTER.

Witnesses:

H. H. CHAPMAN,

A. L. CHRISTIAN.

